William H. Seward to James S. Pike, July 8, 1861

Mr. Seward to Mr. Pike.

Sir: Your despatch, No. 4, dated June 16 has been duly received.

You will, at the first convenient opportunity, make known to the minister of foreign affairs the satisfaction with which the United States has received intelligence of the prompt decision and friendly action of the government of the Netherlands on the subject of the disturbances occurring in our country.

You will receive herewith, confidentially, a copy of my last despatch to Mr. Dayton on the subject of the proffer of our adhesion to the declaration of the congress of Paris. It will serve, I think, to relieve your uncertainty, and to indicate the course you shall pursue. Only Great Britain and France have assumed to say to us that they regard our country as divided or broken, for any purpose, whether of war or of peace. And we have not thought proper to receive that communication from them. We treat as being the sovereign government over all the Union—the disloyal and the loyal, all alike—or we do not treat at all. This simple statement will, perhaps, be necessary to make the paper addressed to Mr. Dayton clearly intelligible to you.

These latter remarks you will consider as confidential.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,